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Chaff
Also known as the Supreme Residue of Eternity, and Skiaton, Chaff is the residue of a miracle, a background metaphysical force lurking between the manifold threads of the universe left over from its creation. Chaff is the source energy utilized in the enactment of mystical phenomena. Naming So named because of the way it is created, Chaff first came about at the dawn of time, when the Dreams of Dexos-Brhan crafted the artwork of the universe. It was, and is, made when the Dreams pass by in their acts to expand the universe. In the same way, Chaff emanates from the gods, as they are eternal extensions of Dexos-Brhan’s power, similar to, if having purpose different from, the Dreams. However, the gods, being less direct conduits of Dexos-Brhan’s power, emit a much lower quality of Chaff compared to the Dreams. To the Tekgnos Federation, Chaff is known as a 'Skiaton '(from "skia", meaning "shadow"), as it is a metaphysical force concealed from the physical universe, and requires highly advanced, incredibly specialized equipment to detect, contain, and harness. This technology itself already borders on the metaphysical and dances along the thin line that divides the Tekgnos definition of natural and supernatural. Due to their naturalistic preconceptions, however, the Tekgnos fail to realize that they have stumbled upon a supernatural force, and assume that it is merely another level of depth of the immensely complex natural world. Nature Chaff is a flowing force consisting of the residue of the Dreaming God’s supreme power in a near-totally depleted form. It comes into being in the same way that chaff is produced when threshing grains. The Dreams, or a natural god performs a miracle, and the scant power left over from that miracle is Chaff. Though it is used to enact magic in its most commonly understood form, Chaff is nevertheless only leftover, sparse, residual energy considered by the gods to be a useless waste product left over from their enactment of miracles. This is contrasted to Grain, the power that the Dreams and Natural Gods use to perform their miracles. Nevertheless, due to its inherent nature, it is still the most efficient power source for magic. When properly harnessed, Chaff can be used to forcibly invoke a preexisting natural concept upon nature. The concept of combustion, for example, when empowered by Chaff used for a spell, can create a fireball or any other construct of fire. Though by nature existing on a metaphysical level that does not directly interact with energies known to physics, it is possible for living beings of sufficient knowledge and training to harness Chaff and use it to interfere with the physical world. The most prevalent example of this is through the casting of spells. The amount of mystical power given by Chaff is dependent not only on amount, but quality as well. The quality of Chaff in an environment is determined by how close a level of existence the Source of Chaff is to Dexos-Brhan, the ultimate source of this power. Thus, the Greater Gods produce a higher quality of Chaff than the Lesser Gods, Agnes Tyamát emits a higher quality of Chaff than most major divinities, and so forth. By nature, Chaff is non-renewable, a finite if highly abundant energy that, given enough use, will eventually be consumed entirely. Indeed, were it not for the fact that the gods roam the worlds, scattering Chaff everywhere, it would long have been depleted by the many magi of the world, who in the earlier years, spent it with little consideration for conservation. In the case of Eutopia, a Servitor that functions as a planet, its mere existence generates Chaff (known to the locals as mana), rendering it, in their case, a renewable resource. As a metaphysical energy, Chaff is unaffected by the second law of thermodynamics and thus does not degrade with time. Additionally, Chaff to a much larger area is restored whenever a natural god performs a miracle there. Application Though there are many alternatives, such as Edith, souls, and the occasional physical energy, Chaff is the primary fuel source for magic spells. Additionally, though tools are normally incapable of harnessing Chaff, the Tekgnos Federation’s equipment is an exception, as they have developed technology that is sufficient, to a limited extent, in crossing the boundary between the physical and metaphysical. The Tekgnos Capital of Centre is powered by a small network of Skiaton Reactors, although one is far more than enough to provide for the energy needs of the entire planet for an indefinite period of time. This is due a redundancy measure to ensure that power is prevalent in the event that the primary Skiaton Reactor is damaged or otherwise rendered unusable. The Chaff powering these Reactors was obtained by a space expedition at the behest of the Seven Wise Men as a means to test their latest technological advancement, as well as serving the secondary purpose of providing a superior alternative to using fusion reactors. Measurement Chaff is measured in Kolnas, a unit named after the Archmage Kolna Micaedus, the first recorded person to research into magic. One Kolna is the amount of Chaff required to produce one candela of light utilising Kolna's Basic Methodology. Types Terrestrial Chaff Chaff found on the planets and their moons, which were created by neither the Dreams nor Maros-Brhan, but by Agnes Tyamàt, who is ‘merely’ a High Goddess. Chaff left behind by the roaming gods also counts as Terrestrial Chaff. Due to the fact that the gods are a further existence from Dexos-Brhan than the Dreams, their quality of Chaff is relatively low. Astral Chaff Chaff found near the sun, or alternatively, in deep space beyond the solar system, is extremely dense, and, due to the fact that nobody has used it since the beginning of time, is in an energy state unchanged since the moment it was created. Additionally, as this Chaff was created by the Dreams, their quality is far superior to that of Terrestrial Chaff. It is this chaff specifically that is known as Skiatons to the Tekgnos. As a comparison, Terrestrial Chaff of the same amount as one of Centre’s reactor cores will be enough to power a magical lightning storm for some minutes. As stated earlier, the equivalent amount of Astral Chaff is capable of powering the entire planet’s energy needs for a presently incalculable amount of time. It is quite possible that even after the universe has succumbed to heat death, the Chaff Reactors will be able to continue producing energy. This is despite the fact that Chaff is only residual energy, and not the true power of god, a testament to the scale on which the latter is on. Related Concepts Ley Lines and Nexi Though the world, all the way from the surface to the core, has Chaff left over from the time of its creation, the randomized movement of the gods throughout the world has created relatively uneven levels of Chaff, typically focused on ley lines synonymous to paths they have taken. Nexi, sites where where multiple ley lines intersect are highly valued by magi, who construct Chaff Siphons on or near these sites. The Chaff concentrations at Nexi vary depending on various factors including: * The level of the deities who created the ley lines that intersect at a particular nexus (quality) * The number of ley lines intersecting at the nexus (quantity) * The consumption rate of the magi using the Siphon. Given a specific example, a Siphoned Nexus composed of ley lines created by two nameless gods, populated by a medium-sized (10-20 average-skilled magi) sect that practices basic- and medium-class spell-casting on a daily basis, with the occasional foray into high-class spells will last for a good 200 years. This is assuming that a natural god does not replenish the Nexus by either running a new ley line through it or running through one of the two already established ley lines, and that the sect does not start shifting frequency to more advanced (and therefore costly) spells. Given the randomization factors involved, and how frequently gods from all tiers tour the world, two-line nexi of such low quality are actually quite rare on a planet as old as Paraiso, moreover two-line nexi in the first place. In fact, the average nexus consists of at least twice as many ley lines of varying quality. In the end, the numbers indicate that the average nexus lasts between five and nine centuries, ensuring that sects have a lot of time to develop their theories, principles, and practices, before having to pack up and set up shop elsewhere. This is not to say that a sect cannot set up their Siphons anywhere else. Chaff permeates the whole world, and magic can be used anywhere. However, because ley lines are the greatest concentration of Chaff, then these are the most logical places to put up siphons. Additionally, multiple sects are known to fight over a single ley line, resulting in bloody conflicts. Chaff Siphon Any structure that serves as the primary dwelling, workshop, and training facility of magi; the Chaff Siphon is usually constructed on or near a nexus, ley line, or otherwise any place with a high concentration of Chaff in the environment. The construction of a Chaff Siphon comes in two phases, with the first phase being the construction of the structure itself, and the second phase being the creation of a mystical ‘canal’ that channels the Chaff from the nexus or ley line and into the building, where it accumulates overtime. Much like an aqueduct, it draws water (Chaff) from a river (ley line) or lake (nexus) and brings it into a person’s house for use. The structure is then enchanted with a suppression spell, in order to conceal its location from the outside world, as sects of magi tend to get into fights with each other to steal the other’s secrets, or simply destroy each other in order to claim monopoly of the ley line. If not properly managed, the Chaff may overflow and give away the sect’s exact location to any rivals within a radius of up to over a dozen miles away. Overflow is drastic enough that it renders the suppression spell useless. See Also *Edith *Kolna's Organs *Magic Category:Magic